Shelly's Recipe

OATMEAL-PECAN SNACK COOKIES with Variations

Category: Cookies

1 3/4 cup flour
1 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup butter, softened
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cup uncooked regular oats
3/4 cup dried cherries
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda.

Beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in oats and dried cherries.

Drop dough by rounded tbspfuls onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray; gently flatten dough into circles. Sprinkle about 1/2 tsp chopped pecans onto each dough circle, gently pressing into dough.

Bake, in batches, at 350 for 13 to 14 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove cookies from baking sheets to wire racks, and let cool 10 minutes.

Carrot-Oatmeal-Pecan Snack Cookies: Prepare dough as directed through Step 2, stirring in 2 grated carrots with oats and cherries. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Chocolate-Oatmeal-Pecan Snack Cookies: Prepare cookies as directed through Step Break 4 (0.87 oz) dark chocolate bars into pieces. Microwave chocolate pieces in a small microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 45 seconds to 1 minute or until melted and smooth, stirring at 15-second intervals. Spoon chocolate into a small zip-top plastic bag. Snip 1 corner of bag with scissors to make a tiny hole. Drizzle chocolate onto cookies. Let stand 1 hour or until set.